Pea-harvester.



No. 722,326. PATENTED MAR. 10,1903.

F. W. RAPSON.

PEA HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1902- NO MODEL.

2 sums-sum 1.

PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

P. W. RIAPS-ON. PEA HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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*ratns Patnr PEA-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 722,326, dated IvIarch10, 1903.

Application filed March 27, 1902. Serial No. 100,291. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern/.

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM RAPSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Badaxe, in the county of Huron and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPea-Harvesters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to pea-harvesters, and more particularly to theconstruction of the lifters thereof, whereby the weight of the liftersaugmented by a superposed mass of vines will cause the forward orworking ends of the lifters to hug the ground closely, so as toeffectually lift the vines on uneven or undulating ground.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich shall be simple of construction, durable in use, comparativelyinexpensive of production, and effective in action.

With this and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists incertain novel features of construction and combination and arrangementof parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, defined in theappended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of a pea-harvester constructed inaccordance with myinvention, the outer end of the cutting apparatusbeing broken away in order to enable me to illustrate the invention on alarge scale. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical sectional view through oneof the lifters. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the clamp forsupporting in proper position one of the buncher-arms. Fig. 4 is asimilar View of the clamp for connecting the lifter to the finger-bar ofthe cutting apparatus. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View through theouter end of the saddles and the lifters, showing the tenon of one ofthe former engaging the groove of one of the latter. Fig. 6isadetailplan view, partly in section, of the rear end of the saddle,showing how the parts are pivoted thereto.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the cutting apparatus, which may be of anywell-known or approved construction and which broadly comprises afinger-bar 2 and a reciprocating sickle-bar 3. The cutting apparatus ispreferably supported a slight distance above the ground by casters 4.These elements in themselves form no part of the present invention andwill only be referred to in conjunction with a description of thelifters and buncherarms.

6 denotes the lifters, each of which comprises a saddle 7, secured by aclamp 8 to the finger-bar of the cutting apparatus and preferablyprovided at its outer end with a tenon 9 and a curved lifter-arm 10, theforward end of which is pointed in the usual manner and the rear end ofwhich is curved downwardly, as at 11, and is formed with a row ofapertures 12, by means of which this end may be adjustably pivoted tothe rear end of the saddle, through a slot 12 of which it projects. Thelifter-arm near its forward end has projecting from its under side andformed preferably integral therewith a web or extension 13, having agroove or socket 14, into which projects the tenon at the forward end ofthe saddle, whereby said arm may have at its forward end vertical playto allow it to pass overobstructions. The clamp 8 is heldin position bya bolt 10,which engages the notches formed in the walls of alongitudinal slot 10", formed in the saddle, and receives a nut 10. Thisconstruction enables me to properly adjust the litters of the cuttingapparatus.

15 denotes the buncher-arm, which, if desired,rnay haveitsinnerendformed with alatorally-projecting stud to be inserted through theaperture 16 in the rear end of the saddle and through one of the holesin the curved rear end of the lifter-arrn and serve as a pivot orfulcrum upon which the lifter-arm may vibrate. Any other suitable means,however, may be employed for eifecting this pivotal connection, and therfore Ido not wish to be restricted to that shown and herein described. Aconvenient Way to support the buncherarm in proper position is by theemployment of a rest 17. (Shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.)

This rest has on its inner face a groove, which snugly fits thebuncher-arm and is provided with an extension 18, which is secured tothe extreme rear end of the saddle by a bolt and nut 19. Thesebuncher-arms are arranged to slide along the ground and to deposit thecut peas in windrows, the length of the arms being graduated from thefar or grain end of the cutting apparatus to the near or stubble endthereof, the arms at the grain end being shorter than those at thestubble end.

-In operation as the machine is drawn along the lifters passing throughthe matter and tangled peas will lift them and guide or convey themrearwardly onto the buncher-arms, where they are deposited in windrowsbehind the mower, it of course being understood that the cuttingapparatus has severed the vines before they are deposited upon thebuncherarms. In the passage of the vines over the lifter-arms the weightof the vines, together with that of the lifter-arms, serves to hold thepoints of said arms in close contact with the ground, and thereby causethem to act more satisfactorily than they do in some machines in whichthe weight of the mass of vines upon the lifter-arms tends to elevatetheir forward ends. To overcome this objectionable tendency, springshave been employed for holding the forward ends of the 'fter-arms inclose contact with the ground.

y invention, however, is constructed with a view of dispensing withthese springs,

which are very objectionable for obvious reasons, and to use the weightof the harvested product as a substitute for the springs and for holdingthe fingers in close contact with the ground.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation,and advantages of my improved harvester will be readily apparent withoutrequiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A lifter for the purpose described comprising a saddle formed at itsrear end with a verticallydisposed slot, and a lifterarm having adownwardly-curved rear end formed with a row of apertures, said endextending through said slot, a pivot passed through the side walls ofsaid slot and through one of the apertures, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a lifter comprising a relatively fixed saddleand a lifter-arm pivoted at its rear end to the rear end of said saddle,a curved buncher-arm formed integral with the pivot, and a brace orsupport bolted to the rear end of the saddle for supporting the forwardend of the buncher-arm, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the finger-bar of a harvester cutting apparatus;of a litter comprising a saddle having a longitudinal slot the walls ofwhich are formed with opposing notches, a clamp, a bolt extendingthrough said clamp and said slot and engaging said notches, a nut uponthe bolt for securing the parts to the finger-bar, a lifter-arm havingits rear end downwardly curved and pivoted to the rear end of the saddleand provided on its under side near its forward end with adownwardly-projecting web formed with a socket or groove to receive theforward end of the saddle, and a buncher-arm pivoted to the rear end ofthe saddle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- HBSSGS.

FREDERICK WILLIAM RAISON. Witnesses:

R. J. AVARD, OLIVER RArsoN.

